Page 19 of The Aries Alliance (BLP Signs of Love #14)

After Glow

The second I got home, I pulled into the driveway of my ranch home and called Val. Since it was early Saturday afternoon, I knew she’d answer if she wasn’t up under a man.

“Heffa, you good?” Her strong East Coast accent always popped when she was anxious.

“Yeah. I need to update you on my ‘meeting’ with War.” I lifted my fingers in air quotes as if she could see me.

“Did he scratch whatever Scooby Doo itch you had?”

“Not Scooby Doo, but about that . . .”

“What?” Val’s voice got extra high and pitchy.

“He scratched that itch and a few other things too.”

“What? Is that why you didn’t answer your phone last night and this morning when I hit you up?”

“Uh huh.”

“Give me the deets. Something.”

“We made a sex tape.”

“No the hell you didn’t with your fast, hypersexual, grown, can’t keep your coochie in your panties ass . . .” Val gasped, then shouted right in my ear.

I pulled up the video on my phone and seriously thought about sending it to my girl.

“What the eff? Have you lost your freakin’ mind? Are you having some kind of breakdown?” I heard rustling on the phone that made me pull it away from my ear. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. Let me pull on some clothes and my shoes.”

I rolled my eyes and raised my voice, knowing that once my friend set her mind to something, there was no stopping her.

“I’m good. War and I have an understanding.”

“In or out of the bedroom?”

I giggled.

“Both, I think.”

“Girl, . . . that sounds freaky as hell. And I want to see that tape y’all made,” she added quickly.

“Seriously, I need you to be my moral support, girl. Our plan is intense.”

“I’ve got you, sis. Kick your feet up and rest up so you have enough energy for all the dick he’s going to feed you.”

“Whatever.”

Val raised her voice.

“Am I lying, though?”

“This is more business than pleasure, love.” I lied to myself as much as I did to Val.

“Tell yourself that if you want.”

“Bye, girl.” I grinned, then hung up, unexpectedly anxious to contact War about nothing that involved our plan.

The rest of the weekend, I occupied myself with a girls’ night in with Val, hiking, meal prepping for the week, and staying away from my phone so I wouldn’t call Warrick. To my delight, he sent a message through social media around 9 p.m. Sunday night.

War:

Goodnight, Scar. Sweetest of dreams.

Me:

Sweet dreams, Warrick.

I wanted nothing more than to be with War again, but I needed to maintain my formality to keep my emotions in check.

I snuggled into my 600-thread-count sheets and breathed deeply until I fell asleep to the sounds of rushing waves from my white noise machine. For the first time in a long time, I didn’t go to bed Sunday night dreading the beginning of a work week.

When Monday came around, the early morning sun peeked through my loosely drawn blinds.

I stared at the clock on my phone, pleased I didn’t spend half the night overthinking how I would execute my plan with War.

I rubbed my eyes and picked up the oversized satin bonnet that had fallen off my head and onto the pillow beside me. My phone pinged.

War:

Showtime.

Warrick sent me a photo of himself, in his bathroom mirror, with his eyeglasses on and wearing a dark suit that made him look like a scrumptious treat.

Me:

Somebody’s looking like a snack.

I shook my head and erased my text.

Me:

Have a great day!

War:

Thanks. Will do. You too.

I placed my hand over my quivering stomach to stop the flutters within.

War’s woody scent came back to me. And that kiss.

Oh my goodness. I lifted my fingers to my mouth, tracing my lips as I replayed how his big, pretty lips covered mine and almost sucked my face off.

I could go for another round of that first-class action.

Damn.

I was thankful I hadn’t overindulged in alcohol at the cottage. Because of that, I remembered every good and sexy thing about War, especially his powerful and commanding presence.

As a one-and-done chick, I was stunned. No man had ever made me want to submit to him like War had. He was so addictive, I’d take sex sessions with him anywhere I could get them, even at work.

I pressed my hand to my cheeks and forehead.

I had to be coming down with something. I didn’t have a fever, and my mind was as clear as a bell.

My thoughts flowed freely too. The only sensation that hovered over me was that periodic tingle that now shot in the most intimate of regions.

It was the same feeling I got when I replayed my sex tape with War.

I’d rubbed my body raw multiple times, gushing like a water hose as I watched him suck my breasts and make me cum.

You’re not a dang teenager.

I needed to get my mind together before I started my day. Today, more than any other day, I needed to be focused. But I couldn’t get my mind off War.

Five minutes after watching the tape again and cumming over the toilet, I rose to complete my hygiene routine.

As I slipped on a burgundy sheath dress and cardigan that accentuated my curves respectfully, I became increasingly nervous.

What if I ran into War? Was he serious about our plan, or was I a conquest?

After I scrambled some egg whites and toasted an English muffin, my phone rang. I knew who it was as surely as I knew the location of every birthmark on my body. I took a big breath and picked up my phone.

“Good morning.”

“Hey, Scar. It’s War.”

I could tell he was in his car by the background noise that pumped through his Bluetooth speaker.

“I know who it is.”

“Good. Did you sleep well?” His voice boomed through the phone, reminding me of how our limbs were intertwined the first night we slept together in the cottage.

“Yes.” I poked at my eggs on my plate, wishing I could taste War again instead of my breakfast.

“You ready?”

I set my fork on the edge of my plate and tightened my lips.

“Is this a good idea?”

“You scared?”

“No. It’s just . . . moving really fast.”

War didn’t say anything.

“Are you talking about our plan or us?”

Once again, my stomach flip-flopped. I needed to gather myself.

“The plan, of course.”

“I’ve got you, Scar. I meant, Harriet. You’re not going to ever be alone in this organization again. We sealed the deal. Remember?”

I picked up my napkin and bit it, blushing at War’s blatant reminder of our unexpected weekend. His sexy voice was exactly what I needed to calm down.

“You still there?”

“Yeah. Check in with me at the end of the day.”

“You know I will, with your pretty self and big brain.”

“Sir, you are so charming.”

“Blame yourself. You pulled it from me.”

“Stop flirting and focus.”

“Okay.”

I grinned, knowing War wasn’t going to stop teasing me as long as we stayed on the phone.

“Let me get ready for work.”

“You do that, Scar.” I hung up, with War still chuckling on the phone.